Maybe Needs to Take a Hike!

Two posts in one day, what’s wrong with me?  Well, someone said something that really struck me.   On our support group on Facebook I read the comment “maybe I’ll start walking today” and thought . . . what is that “maybe” doing in that sentence?  That maybe gives the person an out.  I actually commented on the post and stated that Maybe needs to take a hike.  But I realize I do it too.

“Maybe if I have this chocolate, I can just work out later . . . “

“Maybe I’ll find the time to clean the room after this program”

“Maybe I can go out tonight, I’m just not sure right now, but I’ll get back to you.”

“Maybe we can walk on our second break, since the first one is already past”

“Maybe I’ll turn on the exercise video when I get home, and do that before I cook dinner . . .”

I don’t know about you, but Maybe provides me an awesome out every time I use it.  I’ve decided, starting today, that MAYBE I just won’t say maybe anymore.  Scratch that, I simply WON’T.  I’m a 38 year old woman, and I’m more than capable of committing to things that are important.  My health, my well being, are important.  Even after the Walk-it! Challenge on Sunday I thought . . . “maybe I should make this a weekly thing – walk down to the lake, walk around it, and walk back up.” 

Well . . . here it is . . . MAYBE I shouldn’t be such a wuss, and I should just commit that I WILL find time, once a week, to walk down to, around, and back up from the lake.  It’s a three mile walk, it’s not the end of the world.  I can do it with my kids, we can rollerblade sometimes, but MAYBE has no place in this.  Maybe can take a hike, because I’m going for a walk.

No one ever maybe’s on the important stuff.  You don’t hear “maybe I’ll marry you” or “maybe I’ll make my house payment”  When you DO hear it on important things, it’s because the person genuinely isn’t ready to commit – “maybe your mother can come live with us,” or “maybe I’ll go back to school.”  You and I both know that when the person talking is in the maybe boat, it just ISN’T going to happen!  We both know that the only way to MAKE it happen is to get them out of the maybe boat – it’s a sinking ship.  With maybe, it’s more often a no than a yes. 

The point is – stop maybe-ing!  Maybe you’ll go for a walk? Come on, GO for a walk.  This isn’t a life and death decision, just decide to DO it, and then follow through.  Just like you decided to lose weight.  I decided to go on weight watchers and lose weight – so I’m doing that.  I haven’t waffled, there was no maybe this time.  When I said I was doing it, I said “that’s it, enough is enough, I’m joining.  I’m done.  I’m losing this weight, and I’m NEVER going to let myself slide this far again!”  and you know, since I said that, both out loud and to myself, it’s been easy.  It wasn’t a maybe.  There is no escape hatch.  No possible out.  I’m DOING it. 

Your health, my health, our weight loss goals, matter.  Maybe is gone, commitment is here. 

Look Ma! No Spare Tire!

Okay, the title might be pushing it a little, but I AM sporting a very cute skirt (used to be a touch snug, now I’ve got room to spare) and a very fitted tank top of the cotton/spandex family.  My tummy isn’t sticking out over the top of the skirt in a fabulous roll, in fact, I actually look like I have a waist, and some curves – in the RIGHT places. 

I still have a long ways to go, but last week was the week of clothes fitting me properly, or being loose.  It was the first week where almost EVERY day, I noticed how my clothes fit, in a good way.  It all started when  I wore this cute little black and white spring dress that I’ve worn before.  I bought it a while back because I needed SOMETHING cute – but to be honest, my girth had grown to at least meet the fabric, if not push a bit against it, at the waist.  I wore that, and a little black cropped jacket. 

My friend, who is also on WW commented that day “you’re not going to be able to wear that dress much longer!” By golly, I noticed she was right!  The dress was loose.  It was BIG in the waist!!  I’ll go buy a belt today so I can get away with it a bit longer, but man did that feel good.  From then on, all week, I noticed how my clothes fit.  My jeans are getting loose, clothes I used to have to pour myself into fit right, a skirt I hadn’t worn in a while, because the back was significantly higher than the front (due to a large booty and hips) fell equally in the front and back, and was loose!

I had a crummy week last week, as far as food goes – but even a “bad” week for me means SOME weight loss.  A “bad” week means I used some of my weekly points, and I usually try not to.  Today, Monday, is weigh day.  We’ll see what happens when I hop on that scale, but no matter WHAT it says, my clothes tell me I’m headed in the right direction, and I love it!

Been a while . . .

Wow, okay, I didn't think anyone would mind my missing a few . . .ahem . . . weeks of posting.  I trust no one did.  Anyhow, today was a GREAT day.  I have come to figure out that my naked morning weight is usually about 2-2.5 pounds off of what I will weigh at the weigh-in.  Still, today, my morning weight was only 223.5, so at 2 extra pounds, I'm down to 225.5, which is GREAT.  Now, it's not as far as I want to be by Monday.  My goal is to hit 10% one week from THIS monday, so I was hoping to get down to AT LEAST 224.5, but I still have the weekend to get there, and it's only one pound!  I'm pretty sure that's do-able!!  I know that probably sounds a little like I'm riding the crazy train, but whe you figure I lose 2-3 pounds per week, and then you figure there are still technically 3 more days in my week (almost 1/2 of it!) then you realize trying to lose another pound shouldn't be the end of the world.

More than all of that, I just feel GOOD!  I feel like I'm finally starting to be able to SEE the body I used to have.  Not a GREAT body, mind you, but at least the body I had when I first left Jason.  I'll need to do more work - more exercise is definitely necessary to tone my tummy up - but hey, getting rid of the large layer of fat is helping!  I see it in my face, and in the clothes I wear as well.  I'm not down to a size 16 yet (I know, crazy, right? Who the hell loses 20+ pounds, and DOESNT lose a dress size?  Oh yeah - that would be me! ugh!)  but I'll be there eventually.  Right now, I'm happy in my less-tight 18's.  My hope is to be solidly in a 16 by July 4, when I want to wear my pretty dress.

That, and I'd like to be significantly smaller when Sean gets home, than I was when he left.  Perhaps a dumb motivation, but . . .one I'm okay with.  My initial goal was to lose 20 before he got home - well - we passed that one, now on to bigger and better things!